Quick fire Rams goals dent Leeds pride

A typical Leeds performance saw the Whites lose yet another midweek game as they allowed Derby to come from behind and snatch all three points.

The first half was a cagey affair with neither team really dominating. If anything Leeds were probably just edging it on chances with Barry Bannan shooting wide and Jonny Howson forcing a good save from ‘keeper Brad Jones after linking up with Luciano Becchio.

The second half saw an improvement from Derby but like so many times this season Leeds had Max Gradel on hand to pop up with the goods. The winger scored with a great driven shot from outside the area.

Only Leeds, however, would be capable of throwing away a winning position in a matter of minutes. Within five minutes of Gradel’s goal, the Whites were 2-1 down. The first Derby goal came from Sheffield United loanee Jamie Ward as he converted a cross at the far post. Stephen Pearson had beaten former Derby man, Paul Connolly to set up the goal and was involved again for Derby’s second two minutes later. His delivery from a corner was good and it was matched with a great finish from midfielder Ben Davies.

I’d say it was an unbelievable position to find ourselves in but it’s just the Leeds way – especially this season.

Simon Grayson reacted immediately by bringing Bradley Johnson on for Jake Livermore and Davide Somma on for the yellow carded Becchio. Ross McCormack was introduced not long after and despite piling men forward we couldn’t break down Derby. Grayson later claimed that “we contributed to our own downfall with some naive football.”

The defeat is the third in four games and sees us drift away from the rest of the teams in the play-offs, now five points behind Reading and just one point ahead of seventh placed Nottingham Forest. Something needs to be done to stop the rot as soon as possible as we could quite easily slip out of the play-offs places if this continues.

Yet another disappointing result and performance for LUFC, how many times have we said that in the past 18 months? There is obviously something not quite right at ER in terms of management and motivation. How can a team be within reach of the ‘promised land’ called the Premiership yet perform so woefully? The fact that Leeds have managed to hover around the play-ff spots for most of the season shows what a poor quality league the Championship is and any team managing to put a decent run together, which Leeds have not – with far too many draws – is in with a real chance of promotion. Even if we manage to sneak into the Play-Offs I can’t see us bothering any of the other contenders, in fact I would think most teams would want to play Leeds right now. As things stand it looks like Reading are the form side and are peaking at the right time,. However, Leeds are just as likely to beat them at ER on Saturday. “Funny old game” – you’re not joking!

Jay

Just like last season we are making too many defencive errors.Grayson knew this and hasnt addressed the problem,we have done pretty well this season but it grates me that had we a decent defence we would be in the top two and going for auto promotion..i now feel the play-offs could even slip away..we really have missed the boat this year as the championship was there for the taking.

henryv

It is more than defensive errors now.
The whole team (squad) has lost the plot.
Our midfield must shoulder a lot of the blame by allowing the opposition to over run them, and giving little service to the striker (singular).
They dictate the game (or not) and are the main culprits.
Even the poorest teams, like Sheffield Utd and Derby know the can push us around!!

Andy

Some of the reactions from Leeds fans recently after a little blip are ridiculously narrow-minded and short-sighted.

It’s not *exactly* the same as last season, because we’re a division higher than we were last season. If it does go the same as last season I’d be happy to take a couple of bad results because we got promoted!

Michael Kraczkowski

All i can say is little blip or not, it is the same week in week out. We can’t hold onto a lead at all, the defence just can’t cope at all. too slow, make rash and rushed clearances which often go to the first opposition player. Even when we are playing well such as last night bannan, howson and livermore were contributing with some good intricate play however becchio simply isn’t a good enough striker to make those intelligent runs he is a “target man”, albeit a weak one.

James McGuirk

I agree the standard of the Championship is no where as good as I thought it was. That is why I’m growing increasingly tired and frustrated by the comment “we would have taken mid-table at the start of the season”.
Well its not the start of the season, its near the end of the season. We have played no where near superb yet we have remained in a playoff position for most of the season. Newly promoted Norwich and Millwall have a chance of automatic promotion and a playoff place respectively.
We can’t just keep fobbing off what is clearly a problem with performance and management. Just because SG got us promoted last year doesn’t excuse him from critisism.
Repeatively poor transfers/loans. A season long defensive issue. We are only capable of playing 4-5-1, when that doesn’t work we have no alternative. Too many loans!!!
Although I don’t think we are good enough to win the playoff’s, I still think finishing 7th would be a disaster.

trueyorxman

I hate loan players, all of ‘em. FUCK OFF the lot of yer (Good to get that off mi’ chest, goodnight)

Tim Wilsom

Amen Oxy. I got plenty of Leeds championship games on the telly this year so here’s to more of the same next year cause we don’t have a cat in hells chance in the playoffs

Old Billy White

A bit strong but I also have doubts about loan players. Mainly what does it do for the team spirit in the squad, when players have been traing hard, playing reserve games waiting for a chance, then someone from outside is loaned and goes straight into the side. The clubs who loan these players only wan tot get them some game time and match fitness. They may be a short term fix, (time will tell), but it doesn’t build the club.

WillS

In my view there is an exponentially growing credibility problem building up with Simon Grayson.

Of course, there are those out there who still worship the ground he walks on, but blind faith/belief/wishful thinking is never a good basis for assessing whether a manager or player is the right man for the job.

Any proper fan wants the best for his team, and whilst there are talented players in the squad, who have borne the pressure reasonably well in this season of low expectations, we do not have a solid team. We could quite easily be 16th not 6th.

Our top six showing seems more luck than judgement as much as that is hard to say and take given how much pride we want to have in the club following the horrible dark ages we have suffered.

But I fear that once the seed of decline and under-performance is regularly sown it is difficult to reverse and usually is a sign of difficult times the following season.

The ink on SGs P45 will be dry by December but may be ready by next October (50:50).

We have looked decidedly shakey at the back over the last 2 games since our established left-back McCartney has been out injured. Switching Lichaj to left back has not worked and the sooner McCartney comes back the better!!

Leeds UNITED

This’ll sound pedantic, but please please please don’t just keep referring to us as Leeds over and over again.

The scum-loving beeb do it in their attempt to kid themselves that scum are the only United about.

Tyler 75

Regarding the left-back issue – what has happened to Ben Parker ? I haven’t read that he’s injured.Surely he would be a better solution than moving Lichaj across.Does he have an alternative career flying Tornados over Tripoli and is too busy to fit in the odd Championship game at left-back into his schedule ? We need to be told.